Solder glass for adhering sealing or coating

ABSTRACT

A SOLDER GLASS SUITABLE FOR ADHERING, SEALING AND COATING A SHAPED REFRACTORY OR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, WHICH CONTAINS BY WEIGHT ZNO 60-68%; B2O3 20-30%, SIO2 811%, AND SNO2 0.1-3.0%; AND WHICH PREFERABLY FURTHER CONTAINS ONE OR MORE OF PBO 0-6%, SB2O3 0-0.8%, AS2O3 0-0.5%, CEO2 0-1.5%, TA2O5 0-1%, AND/OR NB2O5 0-1.0%. THE SOLDER GLASS OF THIS INVENTION IS CHARACTERIZED BY A REMARKABLY LOW COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION AND WHICH IS CAPABLE OF PROTECTING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE.

United States Patent 3,674,520 SOLDER GLASS FOR ADHERING, SEALING 0R COATING Yoshiro Suzuki and Shigehiro Nagahara, Tokyo, and Nobuyoshi Ichimura, Yokohama, Japan, assignors to Asahi Glass Company Limited, Tokyo, Japan No Drawing. Filed Sept. 17, 1970, Ser. No. 73,212 Claims priority, application Japan, Sept. 27, 1969, 44/745,701 Int. Cl. C03c 3/04, 3/08, 5/00 US. Cl. 106-54 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to solder glass compositions suitable for sealing, adhering and coating shaped refractory or semiconductor devices such as preformed bodies made of glass, metal or ceramic and having a coeflicient of thermal expansion of about 40-50x10- C., such as silicon diodes.

Description of the prior art Semiconductor elements are frequently subjected to a wide variety of injurious materials, such as corrosive agents, corrosive vapors and moisture, which can deleteriously affect the electrical characteristics of the elements. Accordingly, it is important that the diode or transistor surfaces around any exposed junctions, be carefully protected so as to maintain the desired electrical characteristics and operational procession. One technique for protecting these surfaces is to form an oxide layer over the surface of the silicon semiconductor. Other known techniques include encapsulating the device in various plastics, oxides, low melting point chalcogenide type glasses, high lead silicate type glasses, zinc-borosilicate type glasses or the like. Although these prior art techniques have been found to be somewhat effective for protecting P-N junctions, it has been difficult obtaining a high degree of reliability for all applicants. Moreover, the state of the art encapsulating techniques usually result in the formation of an undesirable voluminous product.

Another disadvantage of using glasses for protecting the semiconductor device, is that they frequently can cause alterations in the electrical potential around the exposed junction or they can penetrate into the semiconductor to cause undesirable changes in its electrical characteristics. For instance, it is known that low melting point chalcogenide type glasses, bore-silicate type glasses, zinc-silicate type glasses and high lead content borosilicate type glasses can be used as a coating material for encapsulating semiconductor devices. However, none of these glasses have been successfully used on a commercial scale. The chalcogenide type glasses are characterized by an undesirably high coefficient of thermal expansion and an undesirably high toxicity; the bore-silicate glasses provide undesirable P-N junction and surface electrical characteristics due to the liberation of boron; the zinc borosilicate 3,674,520 Patented July 4, 1972 ice glasses are characterized by suitable chemical resistance and suitable coefficient of thermal expansion, however, their breakdown voltage characteristics are unreliable; the lead silicate glasses are characterized by good durability, but it is difficult to form a suitable film since their coefficients of thermal expansion are significantly higher than those of most semiconductors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a solder glass which can be used for coating a semiconductor device or other preformed refractory body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chemically stable solder glass which can be directly applied to a semiconductor device or preformed refractory body and which is capable of protecting the surfaces around any exposed junctions.

These and other objects have now herein been attained by the use of a solder glass having the following composition by weight, as calculated from batch preparation:

In order to encapsulate a semiconductor device with a solder glass it is preferable to use a temperature of less than 750 C. which is applied over a very short time period. At the application temperature, the glass must be sufiiciently [fluid and preferably should be in a vitreous condition. The coefiicient of thermal expansion should be similar to that of the semi-conductor body on the electrode material which is usually Mo, W, Kovar, etc. This means that the coefficient of thermal expansion should be in the range of from 40X 10 C. to 50 l0#"/ C., at the temperature range of 50-350 C.

Since for silicon diodes it is desirable to coat the glass directly onto the substrate without the prior formation of an intermediate protective layer, such as silicon dioxide, the glass contacting the semiconductor element should have suitable chemical stability and should be capable of providing a suitable hermetic seal.

It has been found that the solder glass, above described, is capable of achieving all of the above requirements. In that composition, only the ZnO, B 0 Si0 and SnO are indispensible elements, all of the other elements are optional ingredients. The more preferable ranges of these indispensible elements are ZnO, 61-63%; B 0 22-23%; SiO 9-9.5 and SnO 0.5-1.5%.

When the ZnO content is less than 60%, it may be difficult to obtain a homogeneous glass. If the ZnO content is greater than 68%, the rate of devitrification of the solder glass may be too high. Where the B 0 content is less than 20% or more than 30%, a homogeneous glass may not be obtainable. Where the Si0 content is less than 8%, the coefiicient of thermal expansion of the solder glass may become to high and the chemical resistance of the composition of the solder glass may be undesirably low. Also the temperature of thermal devitrification may be undesirably lowered. If the composition contains more than 11% SiO melting of the glass may be difiicult and the sealing temperature of the solder glass may be too high.

The S110 is the most important component of the comexchanging with ethanol, nitrocellulose, amylacetate or position as will 'be discussed in greater detail below. butyl carbitol. The resulting slurry is then used for coat- Where the SnO content is less than 0.1%, the desired ing the semiconductor or refractory device by conveneffects of this invention will not be obtained, whereas if tional coating processes. The coated semiconductor device the quantity of SnO is greater than 3%, it may be difli- 5 is dried and heated for an appropriate time to volatilize a cult to obtain a homogeneous glass. liquid vehicle and the glass is fluidized to yield a uniform The PhD, $19 CeO Ta O or Nb O may be used glass coating. to increase the effects of the SnO and to improve melting The solder glass according to this invention can be and refining properties of the glass. From the point of generally used in a vitreous state, however, if desired, it view of glass melting, it is preferable to use PbO and/or can also be used in the devitrified state. It is important Sb O however, when PhD is used, it is important that its that the glass be given a heat treatment which comprises content in the composition be less than 6% and that no heating the glass to a temperature of from 660-740 C. reduction to a lower valence state occurs. This can be for 5-10 minutes if the solder glass is used in its vitreous accomplished by coating and sealing the glass in a nitrogen state or heating the glass to a temperature of from 700- atmosphere. 800 C. for -60 minutes if the glass is used in its A small amount of A1 0, or other alkaline earth metal devitrified state. oxide such as BaO or MgO may be contained in the com- In the latter case, the solder glass is fluidized to uniposition, however, it is preferable to avoid alkali metal formly cover a product, and then is hardened by devitrioxide or copper-oxide contamination, since the ions of fication. During the thermal treatment, crystals of subthese compounds are easily diffusible into the semicon- 20 stantially a-zinc borate (a-ZHOLB OQ), Willemite ductor element, which can result in an electrical short. (2ZnO.SiO are formed to produce a matte.

Where a transition metal oxide, such as SnO is added The devitrified glass has an exceptionally low coefiicient to zinc-borosilicate glass compositions, preferably to of thermal expansion as well as excellent water resistance gether with a small amount of PbO, Sb O Ta 0 or and chemical durability. NbO a semiconductor device can be fabricated which For example, the Sample 11 of solder glass of this incan withstand high reverse voltages and which is charvention stated in Tables 1 and 2 has a coefficient of linear acterized by excellent electrical characteristics. The reason thermal expansion of 46.3 1O- C., and a weight why the transition metal oxide has this effect is not clear, loss of 0.12 wt. percent when submerged in Water at 98 however, it is believed that it serves to prevent the forma- C. for one hour. tion of impurities, such as boron or the like, which can If the devitrified glass is heated at 760 C. for 60 aifect the conductivity near the surface of the semiconminutes the coefficient of linear thermal expansion is ductor. This effect is believed to be somehow related to 36.8X10 C. and the weight loss is 0.07 wt. percent. the fact that the transition metal oxide in the glass can It is desirable to raise the heat treatment for some change the valency states. type of application. Having generally described the in- The adhesive or bonding strength of the glass to the vention, a further understanding can be obtained by refserniconductor is greatly improved, and it is believed that erence to certain specific examples which are provided this is due to the ability of the transition metal oxide to herein for purposes of illustration only and are not in oxidize the surface of the semiconductor material during tended to be limiting in any manner. subsequent heat treatment. Each solder glass having the compositions shown in In order to prepare the solder glasses of this inven- Table 1 is produced in accordance with the above mention, the raw metal oxides or oxide containing materials tioned process. The linear thermal expansion coefficient are mixed in the appropriate proportions and are molten and transformation point of each glass was measured, in an oxide resistant crucible, such as platinum, for about and is shown in Table 1. one hour at 1200 C.1300 C. The resulting molten The coefficient of linear thermal expansion and the glass is quenched between water cooling metal rollers water resistance of each solder glass in their vitreous and and is formed into a flaky solid. The glass is crushed devitrified states was measured and are shown comparainto a fine powder having an average diameter of 4-8 tively in Table 2. Water resistance is shown as weight in a ball mill. loss (wt. percent) caused by submerging each sample The crushed glass powder is mixed with a liquid vehiof 5 g. (average diameter is 0.30.5 mm), in water at cle such as a pure water which has been prepared by ion 98 C. for one hour.

TABLE I Sample orient. ZnO s 62.0 62.0 62.5 62.0 66.0 61.0 62.0 61.5 62.0 62.0 62.0 63.0 64.0 62.0 61. 0 63.0

Sl02 J.0 3.0 .0 10.0 .5 10.0 10.0 0.0 .0 .0 .5 .5 0. ..5 .).5 ..0

PbON 5- .0 .0

CeOz- A1203. 5 Thermal expa on cQetficientXIO- C. (SO-350 C.) 47. 0 46. 2 46. 5 46. 9 49.6 47. t 47. 5 46.1 46. 3 48. 0 Transformation point C.) 550 567 570 569 561 578 568 563 559 562 554 565 562 556 552 557 TABLE 2 Thermal expansion Water resistance Thermal treatment, C. coefficient (XlO-"/ 0.) (wt. percent) Vitreous Devitrified state state Vitreous Devitrified Vitreous Devitrified Sample (5-10 min.) min.) state state state state The solder glasses shown in Tables 1 and 2 are seen to have a coefiicient of linear thermal expansion of about 40-50 10' C. and can form an adequate film on a silicon diode to provide excellent electrical characteristics. The glass can be applied, by means of conventional coating processes, to a semiconductor device, even a semiconductor device which has an intermediate layer of silicon dioxide. Each component of the solder glass of this invention can be modified within the specified ranges to obtain the appropriate coefiicient of thermal expansion and transformation point, depending upon the particular material being encapsulated.

Although the present invention has been discussed primarily in terms of using the solder glass to form a protecting glass layer on silicon diodes, it should be clearly understood that the solder glass can equally be used for adhering, sealing or coating other glasses, metals and ceramics.

Accordingly, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A solder glass for encapsulating semiconductors which reduces the incidence of reverse voltage breakdown of said semiconductors consisting essentially of:

wherein the thermal expansion of said glass is between 40 to 50 10 C. within the temperature range of 50-- 350 C.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,113,878 12/1963 Martin 10639 DV 3,117,881 1/1964 Henry et a1 10639 3,300,670 1/1967 Veres 106-39 DV 3,462,252 8/ 1969 Veres 106-89 DV 3,505,571 4/1970 De Volder '10654 TOBIAS E. LEVOW, Primary Examiner M. L. BELL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

